A "portable" version of software means it is self-contained. Unlike the traditional installer, a portable application does not add registry entries or copy files to system folders.

Modern versions of Windows feature a built-in compatibility layer designed to mimic older environments. To apply this to a portable PageMaker executable: Right-click the PageMaker.exe file and select . Navigate to the Compatibility tab.

If you need a completely free option, Scribus is an open-source desktop publishing program available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It supports professional publishing features like CMYK color separation, ICC color management, and robust PDF creation.